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Hidden Stone Equalling Heaven
A journey home from the was long trip to those not yet use to it. The cold home of the samurai was great, but not nearly as chilling as what had happened. The peace between the villages was... rocky at best. The world that had helped forge was beginning to rust and fall into question. The current worried for what could come with the tensions between the and the villages. , while away from these villages, still felt unsafe. Shizuka had made it home and removed her hat and robes in her office, revealing her normal attire as a kunoichi. She sat at her desk and laced her fingers together. "That was... an interesting meeting." "Don't you have somewhere to be Tadakatsu!?" She barked. An older women who ran the shop along her husband emerged in the delivery window. "The Tsuchikage is returning today, after all." Ah yes! Today was the fateful day! Or at least that's what the hundreds upon hundreds of updates he received throughout her trip said. And upon her arrival she requested an emergency meeting. For, in her absence, the village heads were in charge of assuring nothing out of the ordinary occurred. But Shizuka had asked for a more personal favor from him. Normally his organization of shadow-runners existed for the usage of the village. But Shizuka's close relationship with Tadakatsu, forged by a shared belief in the Will of Stone, allowed her to retain a certain influence even in absence. She had ears and eyes everywhere. The walls spoke and the floors listened. But there was no need for cloak and dagger when she returned - allowing him to turn his focus onto other aspects and more important manners. Such as that delicious bowl of curry chicken before him. The steam warmed his face as he smirked. Finally! "It's important if you're the first person she wants to meet with." "I know. But all this suspense made me hungry. Plus, I can't take news on an empty stomach." He broke off his chopsticks and started for the bowl. However, he was only able to grab air. "I'll have this in the microwave for when you return, Tadakatsu." "But Aunty...This is what I get for running my mouth about my job." Tadakatsu sighed. He brushed back his white hair which he had dyed earlier. He stood up with sulking shoulders. "Fine...But it better not be cold. I'll make sure to make this meeting as quick as possible." He closed his jacket which covered nothing but his bare upper half, sculpted as a fighter's body would be after years of strenuous training. Other members of his organization wore cloaks and mask. However, Tadakatsu existed as a completely different existence. Despite wearing white sweats alongside his white jacket, few would recognize him. After all, he'd died all those years ago due to a freak accident. The mysterious man known only as Tadakatsu was a wanderer who the village of Iwagakure accepted. Only a handful knew the secret...One being the only relative he was able to locate after his return. He stepped into the shadow alley and stretched. He could walk there, but today was a nice day. His body began to float, slowly ascending towards the heavens until he was naught but a speck. Maybe the reason people failed to recognize wasn't the dyed hair or his unique eyes. Few people took the time to look up and notice a flying black shinobi. Regardless, it was a calm trip alongside the birds. Tadakatsu spun around with his back facing the earth. Minutes later, the young shinobi hovered into the open window of her office. "I know you told me to take the stairs but my legs are fucking sore." He floated at the center of her office. His face in a slight smirk. "Welcome back, Tsuchikage-sama!" "Katsu. You're late, again." A voice Tadakatsu hated hearing made itself apparent, leaving the young Shinobi in an evident rage. The man standing before Tadakatsu and in the Tsuchikage's office was known as Shirotsuchi. He was the Head Scientist of , and the individual spearheading the village's many technological and geographical innovations in recent years, especially the fortification of their village's mountainous terrain as a defense from invaders. Shirotsuchi's logical personality often butted heads with Tadakatsu, although they were still good friends, they could barely stand each other. The blond man then proceeded to ignore Tadakatsu, much to his chagrin, and spoke to the Tsuchikage. "Lady Shizuka, did everything proceed well in the Summit?" Shirotsuchi asked, concerned by Shizuka's urgent gathering of her elite subordinates. "The summit had some unexpected outcomes. The smaller villages, at least some, dislike the discourse of the greater villages. While they are smaller and younger, I do not doubt the potential strength they may have stored away. All it would take is one bad move and they could make a display of it." Shizuka said this with a stoic look, but the concern in her voice was present. "As for the other major villages, the discourse of Konoha and Kiri is worrying to say the least. The current Mizukage has committed several crimes, including those against Konoha, that make trusting her as a political ally difficult for me in this moment. Suna and Kumo seem stable in their relations to us at this time. I will say the Kazekage is quite outspoken. If that is a benefit or a negative for him, I am not yet sure." Shizuka said this with a bit more of a worried face. While it was true that she didn't underestimate the might of the lesser villages, Shizuka knew the great villages were always the true thing to keep watch of. Her desire to maintain a prosperous and healthy Iwagakure was what drove her to become the Tsuchikage. Given this meeting, she was having doubts about the current structure of the alliance. She pulled out a bottle of and three saucers. She poured a bit into one and drank of it, offering the other two to her trusted ANBU and the brains of the village. "Regardless, it is good to see you both now that I am home." Tadakatsu missed the hint and grabbed the actual bottle, drinking straight from it nonchalantly. "I'm glad you made it back, Lady Shizuka." He mocked Shirotsuchi. Both the Tsuchikage and himself were of plain backgrounds. Normal blooded shinobi in a world of nobles and special clans. Plus, the formality wasn't truly necessary behind closed doors. Still, Tadakatsu smiled playfully at the Fifth Tsuchikage. He was definitely happy she made it back. Hell, this peace....during his times of meditation, his master would say that a still ball will always roll again. And from there, it would stop. The first lessons in the art of understanding the Supreme Ultimate. Right now, this still ball was beginning to rock back and forth. "I don't trust any of them. Especially that lotus psychopath." Tadakatsu said with a deep swallow of sake. "We've been following the progress of Kirigakure, and the Mizukage's crimes against her own people definitely doesn't sit right. Firstly, assassinating the great Chōjurō, a man famous for his connection to both Naruto Uzumaki and the Gokage of peace, was a foolish move. Especially doing so in a manner in which rumors could easily spread. Secondly, killing all Seven Swordsmen of the Hidden Mist, the treasure of Kirigakure...Its like she's just killing people for her own clout." Tadakatsu leaned against a nearby wall. He'd had a close friend from Kirigakure. And using this connection, established perhaps the longest-distance network of information sharing. At one point, Tadakatsu would've feared the village of Kirigakure for their resilience and suicidal method of battle. But... "There's no way Kirigakure'll pose a threat to anyone. The Mizukage is brash. Quick to act. Unethical and uncaring of the viewpoints that others may have of her." "From what the Mizukage claims, Chōjurō supposedly began his own pogroms. As for the Mizukage, while what you say is true, I fear how the others will react to her. She does not lean herself to being someone easy to work with. I can understand her drive to secure what she thinks is best for Kirigakure, I feel the same for Iwagakure, but she is doing so in a way that has no regard for the other villages. To enter Konoha without notice and killing a man in the village of the Hokage while openly admitting it, she seems to not care too much." Shizuka watched him drink from the bottle directly. "Well, hopefully Shirotsuchi didn't want any. Go ahead and keep the bottle." Shizuka finished her saucer and stood up, looking out the window towards the mountain. "I am concerned that the peace of the villages is coming to a close. Things could get better, but this generation of Hokage are quite different than those who brought us together. I do not want to see Iwagakure get mixed into bloody wars like those of Lord and his work with the . I wish to increase the defenses of our village." Shizuka's eyes looked out upon the mountains. "It's out there." Tadakatsu finished the bottle just as she offered. He tossed it to his eternal rival and walked towards the window as well. He loved those mountains. They had shaped him into the unbeatable shinobi he was today. The idea of these foolish kages threatening the defense of the village. Let the Mizukage try to sneak into Iwagakure. He would've killed her himself. Those fishes in the ocean stand nothing against the behemoth of the earth. "It is..." Tadakatsu stated. He had encountered it once in passing. Witnessing the massive energy it possessed and the sheer volume of power. It was a wonder who any human of the past could hold it hostage. "Are...you suggesting?" "We are surrounded by the mountains. Our buildings are built on shorter one in the middle of tall ones. The mountains are our natural defense. However, we could manufacture more. Lava Release is abundant among are people, but even then it would make much time to complete. There is one creature who could be of service to us. It even once lived among us, forcefully though. I think we could bring it here willingly, so long as we can prove our might to the beast. Let us find the ." "..." Shirotsuchi blankly looked at Tadakatsu chugging through the bottle, and shrugged. He wasn't much of a drinker in the first place. "So Kirigakure is troublesome, eh?" Shirotsuchi pointed out, and went into thought. "Though, I suppose they do not bear too much of a threat to us. They are used to aquatic battles, whereas we are comfortable in the mountains. Approaching us will be a death wish." As Tadakatsu and Shizuka spoke of taming the Four-Tails to their cause, Shirotsuchi sighed out loud. "I figured things would come to this at some point...Not that I am mad, but it is definitely true, that human hands create mountains ever-so-slowly." Shirotsuchi pointed out, before regaining his focus. "Information gathering will be my job, I imagine?" Shizuka turned to the scientist. "Yes, my friend. I ask for you to gather what you can about the Four-Tails capabilities. I imagine we have a good part of its power written down from the time gave it to us to the time Naruto set it free. I would also like to ask for you have some of your trusted geologists seek it a home within one of the mountain caves surrounding us." Shizuka turned to Tadakatsu. "As for you, I would like you to accompany me on this endeavor. I do not doubt my abilities, but I do no underestimate that of the great ape's. I'm not sure if we need any more beyond just us two, but if there are any others I am open to suggestions." "Muahahaha!" Tadakatsu erupted in laughter. A loud roar of power which stemmed from his excitement. "Please, the two of us alone will be enough to tame that monkey. I'm getting hyper just thinking about it!" He screamed. Slamming his hands on the table, the idea of fighting a Tailed Beast made his blood pump. Another mountain for Tadakatsu to climb. Another legend to write down in his autobiographical scrolls. Who ever thought Tadakatsu would fight against this idea?! Please. He was seconds away from jumping out the window and embarking on a journey to the east himself. Being an ANBU, Tadakatsu couldn't really enjoy the battles against his enemies. He had to swiftly deal with them without alerting their surroundings. So chances like these were orgasmic! "Shirotsuchi should also prepare us for its battlefield. We need to know what its habits are. Oh god this will be amazing. So amazing. I'm going to knock it out with a single punch." He smirked. "A truly wonderful idea. Sunagakure accepted costly sanctions after sealing their tailed beast into the Kazekage. If we could get ours to work alongside us willingly, we wouldn't be actually breaking any rules." Shizuka smiled at the antics of Tadakatsu. "Yes, that is why I wish to find it a home within our local mountains. I am certain we can tame it by overcoming its prideful personality. Giving it a physical home will allow us to avoid the costs that Suna must pay and we could possibly keep it being among us secret. At the very least, the village won't have to find out for some time. Naruto is gone, the beasts no longer have a central place to meet and speak in. Keeping it from foreign ears is possible." The Lady Tsuchikage returned to her seat. "Tadakatsu does raise a valid point. What all do we know about the Four-Tails and its natural habitat?" she as she locked eyes with Shirotsuchi. "There's not very much we know about the Four-Tails' habitat, unfortunately." Shirotsuchi said somewhat solemnly. "However, we do have a fair bit of understanding regarding its behavior. The Four-Tails appears to enjoy being independent and not bound by shackles. To this end, it wonders around several mountain ranges with very little fear, but surprisingly does not harm the local ecosystems in the process." Shirotsuchi paused for a moment, recollecting his thoughts. "You are both correct. If we are to bring the Four-Tails on our side, we have to do so in a way that has him willingly work for us. Therefore...he needs an incentive as well. But I am unsure what a Tailed Beast would require as an incentive..." "During my time in the Land of Earth, I heard rumors of the Four Tails. A gigantic beast who enjoyed games and tricks. Even records of its last Jinchuuriki stated that the beast was the equivalent of an arrogant gambler." Tadakatsu rubbed his chin. "Perhaps we could play off this arrogance. After all, any creature willing to call itself the Sage Equalling Heaven should be quite easy to take advantage of." He snapped his fingers. "That's it. We'll beat him at his own game. How does that sound, Shizuka?" "So we challenge him to a fight. Surely the Great Sage ape does not fear a shadow and a dead man?" Shizuka smiled lightly. "And if a mere shadow and dead man can beat him, I think his respect would be earned. At least enough to play ball with us on fair terms. We beat him, we let him retain his autonomy, we get those who know he is among us to respect and revere him rather than fear and hate him, and we call him by his given name. I have heard rumors of Naruto having learned all nine names from the time he spect as the host of the beasts. If I have the right name from these rumors and what I've gather from my research in history, I think we can make him happier than just calling him the Four-Tails." Shizuka put her sword on her side. "Prepare what I have asked, Shirotsuchi. Tadakatsu, we will go into the regions of the beast's last known sightings. I doubt he would want to wander to far off. Let it be known by us three, that Iwa shall equal the heavens." Shizuka opened the door on this. The Sage which Rivals Heaven and the Flowers After the shinobi villages entered an era of peace, a time where these chakra weapons could live as normal creatures of the earth flourished. Some remained alongside humanity in a neverending effort to continue their father's dream while others vanished away from human contact. Those that desired to live away from humanity, with the help of Naruto of course, found their own territories and established a personal domain. Son Goku, a pride filled beast, claimed his throne atop the largest volcano in the Land of Earth, only befitting the Sage King Equal to Heaven. The crimson aura of power radiated beautifully against the darkened sky. Normally shinobi would have trouble crossing the rivers of lava. They would suffocate in the clouds of poisonous smoke. Smothered by their own greed and insatiable thirst for power. But Tadakatsu was no ordinary shinobi. Alongside the Tsuchikage, the ebony fighter floated along the wind. Hovering low enough for his companion to hear his taunts but high enough to avoid the splashes of lava waves clashing against one another. His back facing the earth, he seemed utterly untethered to this realm. "Hurry up Shirotsuchi!" He teased. "Or are your legs too weak." On the ground, Shirotsuchi had simply caught up with his comrade and his Tsuchikage simply by running across the lava. Unlike Tadakatsu, he had no need to levitate, for his skill in was so impressive that mere movement could trigger solidification of the molten lava that he both traveled across and was fighting against. Of course, the heat was something not even he could fully tolerate. While he managed to maintain his body temperature through an aura of cooling water, he still had to completely take off the upper half of his clothing in order to barely sustain the heat. "My legs are just fine..." Shirotsuchi said, somewhat grimacing. "I feel like my hair's going to burn at this rate, though." Groaning, the man continued to move forward against the deathly heat and lava flows. Flying behind Tadakatsu, she flew behind Shirotsuchi and patted him on the back. She lessened his weight to allow him to fly like his companions. She then flew up to Tadaktatsu. "How can you call his legs weak when you are flying? Unless, of course, you wish to trade places and do what he has been doing." Shizuka said with a light smile, giving one of her rare jokes. The trio began to approach the final location. Great heat came off the volcano. Whether it was active or it was Son Gokū, Shizuka didn't know. All she knew was she had to prepare for whatever was coming. ---- Perched up on a small plateau, overlooking the river of lava below, a robed man patiently surveyed the surrounding area. "It's been a while since I've been hired for a job this far to the west," he thought to himself, waiting for the arrival of his employer. While he wasn't sure of the specific identity of the individual who contracted him, he had received a message through a trusted contact that a notable figure from was interested in purchasing his services. Furthermore, the fact that the mission specifically divulged that the sponsor was directly associated with one of the major shinobi villages suggested that the job would be worth a substantial sum. Most surprising though was the briefing he had received in the form of a letter upon arriving in a minor settlement in the outskirts of the . It wasn't ever day that a request regarding one of the legitimate tailed-beasts surfaced, so at the very least the Tōshi's curiosity was piqued. "I do wonder why I was asked to not engage the monster myself," he mumbled aloud, sensing something approaching him from across the infernal wastes before him. While continuing to ponder his situation, the presence he had felt finally came into view. Accompanied by what sounded like a group of siblings bickering back and forth, the sight of three distinct figures approached him through the haze of ash and smoke. Standing from his resting position, and dusting himself off, the tattooed and bandaged man tried to make himself somewhat presentable to the incoming party. "Welcome. I trust that you are the assembly from Iwagakure," Tōshi began in a formal tone once the group was within an appropriate range, "I am a traveling ascetic from the Ashiya clan that has been called into service on behalf of a member of your village." Lowering his head in respectful acknowledgement, Tōshi silently hoped that one of the people before was the individual that had sought out his services. "Indeed, you were called on by my people," Shizuka said as she landed before the man. "I am the Tsuchikage, Shizuka. Among me are my most trusted hands, Tadakatsu and Shirotsuchi. If I recall, you are Tōshi. Please correct me if I am mistaken." Shizuka looked the man over, but felt unable to get a true read on him. "I thank you for arriving on time. We seek the Four-Tails and its abilities for our village. To have one who is outside the control of all the major villages will allow this task to remain a secret for longer, hopefully even forever. With your sealing abilities, the beast must be binded after its defeat. I advise you though, do not prepare to make any jinchūriki this day." Shizuka locked eyes with the man to make it clear. Tadakatsu had plenty of connects and networks established during his dark years. The time where the man once known as ... had met his untimeley end. An era of transformation or rebirth. One such connection was a mysterious sage. One who mastered the art of curses and sealing. Who could command chakra as if nothing more than a language spoken between two artist. Tadakatsu always envied the poets capable of manipulating one of life's most mysterious sources of power. But he enjoyed the more direct method of battle. Regardless, he remained silent. A rare occurrence. Usually the ebony fighter was always with a comeback or smart remark. It wasn't until Shizuka spoke that he decided to make himself known. "We need your help suppressing its power. It could easily burn us to a crisp if wants to. But records state that he is a prideful, boastful creature. So, we'll distract it and you'll work your magic." Faced with Shizuka's stern edict against sealing the four-tails into a human vessel there was little room for Tōshi to complain, especially considering the fact that the Tsuchikage's entourage did not include a viable host for such a monstrosity. "If it is not the will of my employer to use that beast for the creation of a Jinchūriki, then I have no intention of acting on my own to that end," the robed man replied with a nod of acknowledgement, "Additionally, I have no qualms with keeping the details of this endeavor a secret. Your village and my clan have maintained a good working relationship over the years, and compromising that history would serve no purpose going forward." "Moving onto business though, I've taken the opportunity to quarantine the area where the beast is residing with a number of barriers," Tōshi explained in a professional tone as he motioned to the area past him, "This should both prevent both any outside interference or observation by a disruptive party, and ensure that the beast will be unable to retreat without receiving critical injuries." Reaching into his sleeve he pulled out three azure crystals, each bound with a silver chain. "As I'm sure you have noticed, the area further ahead is hardly hospitable for human life. The oppressive heat and lava pools aside, the quality of the air especially unnatural. Under regular circumstances the toxic gases produced by a volcanic site are more than deadly enough, but with the presence of the beast it has become transformed into something more akin to a demonic miasma composed both natural and chakra-based components." Handing the jeweled necklaces over to the three shinobi before the priest explained their purpose, "These crystals are imbued with a property that will purify the air you breathe, allowing you to survive for some time in the miasma. Furthermore, they also contain a notable amount of -aligned chakra within them, which will allow you to quickly regenerate from superficial injuries and bolster your physical stamina during your battle. Finally, they will act as your entry pass into quarantined zone from the outside, while I've tuned the barriers to allow humans to escape, if necessary, without issue." With the team before him properly equipped he had only one more question before facing the demon within. "While I have no problem remaining on standby until you corner the beast," the tattooed individual began, "If you simply want the four-tails on a leash for your own devices, why do you insist on challenging it personally? Outside proving your might to yourself and the beast, you are risking a lot when it would be simple enough for me to chain up the beast on my own." "The beast needs to be willing to go. If it doesn't willingly come, it poses more risk. I have heard your sealing abilities are great and with them I imagine you could make the beast complacent, but what if the beasts can connect in some way we don't understand? A distress call from the Four-Tails to other beasts, especially the One-Tail within the Kazekage could be disaster for the safety of the village. Even if they couldn't, if the beast was discovered by the One-Tail, it may be able to tell there is a forced change in the beast's nature. A show of might to earn its allegiance protects the village more in the long run, even if it poses more risk to my life and those who stand with me." Shizuka answered as her eyes slowly closed. The safety of Iwagakure was her primary concern, the Land of Earth meant little in comparison to her village and people. To risk the safety of the village for an easier capture was not worth it at all in her eyes. "There is more than enough power here to bring it down naturally and earn its respect. The ape will return to Iwa with its pride intact and a willingness to serve when we win this day." Tadakatsu was utterly impress with the Tsuchikage. Her level of thinking and understanding of politics meant that she would have no problem dealing with the political tensions of the different villages. She would easily weave the acclamation of power with the sensitivities of the other villages. Something Iwagakure Tsuchikage were perfect at accomplishing. "Truth is, I doubt anyone exist anymore with the power to completely control a tailed beast without alerting even the slightest alarm. But by challenging the beast and using its own arrogance against it, we'll have better chances. It won't rat us out or go on a rampage. It'll follow its word and hopefully, we could find a slice of humanity in it. Iwagakure is its home. The Land of Earth its country. I doubt it wants the others trampling all over it. After all it is the Sage King." Tadakatsu, the master of weight transference smirked. "If we let the beast throw the first punch, move with it, we'll be able to throw-" A sudden stop. As he put the crystals around his neck, the young shinobi felt a surge of energy rush through his body. It was almost like a sugar high. He felt like he would float away...which he was. "These...are..amazing." He mumbled. "How much for several hundred? If the ANBU possessed these, we'd be unstoppable! After this battle, Toushi, me and you need to discuss further employment and potential adoption into Iwagakure!" He rambled, almost forgetting about the battle ahead. Much like Tadakatsu, Shirotsuchi was visibly quite expressed with the attention to detail and the level of preparation the Ashiya Clan member held. While he had rumors, seeing it in person was a different case entirely. "On the surface our plan does look pretty incomprehensible, I do admit, Ashiya-san." Shirotsuchi respectfully referred to the Onmyōji, as he wore the crystals the man gave him. He found himself more resistant to the elements than he was before, which was thankful, as he deactivated the elemental techniques he used to climb the initial part of the volcano in the first place. If further ahead was even more dangerous, he'd have to use all his strength to support Lady Shizuka. "Unfortunately, us Land of Earth fellows are a bit more stubborn than others give credit for." Shirotsuchi said, flexing his — very average — muscles, before sighing. "I'm more on the supporting side, if you couldn't tell. In any case, should we head out?" "Forgive me. It was foolish of me to question your group's intentions," Tōshi sincerely replied in light of everyone's explanations, "My apologies for any disrespect I may have inflicted upon you, and your vassals, Godaime-sama." Now that the formalities and general strategy of the mission had been completed, it was well past time to begin the operation in earnest. "My familiars have been keeping an eye on the four-tails since before I constructed the barrier array," he explained, manifesting a crow from his palm, "This one in particular will lead you along the safest path to engage the creature. For the moment the tailed-beast has remained docile, but it does seem to be aware of the cage surrounding it." "As for the crystals," Tōshi concluded, finally addressing Tadakatsu's question, "While their creation isn't particularly complicated, the materials used in their formation are quite costly. Additionally, the effects that they offer are far from permanent. The ones you are holding should last for around twelve hours once you begin your exposure to the miasma. Please keep that in mind once you enter the beast's domain. Good luck, I wish you all expedience in this endeavor." Shizuka nodded as she placed on the crystal. Suddenly her air was clean and she instantly began to feel better than she had been in this foul hell hole. "This place has been worse than any cigarette I've put out around me," she quipped in a low voice. "There is no issue to be had Tōshi. I feel all the more secure with you since you were willing to ask questions." Shizuka looked up towards the bird. "Finally, we will find you." Pyroclastic Confrontation At the very mouth of the volcano, a lone rested in a powerful silence. While from an outside perspective the beast's dormancy was akin to a volcano, ready to erupt at any moment, Son Gokū was instead in peaceful state of meditation. Inherently in touch with the state of his entire domain, the veritable deity of this region was fully aware of the barriers had come to encircle and imprison him. While normally such a disrespectful act would had sent him into monstrous fury, the unnatural composition of the boundary field inspired rare sense of caution from the depths of his heart. Soon challengers would arrive before him, just as they had for several centuries. While his opponent's objective was unknown, he was adamant on repaying any dishonor brought forth from foolish humans several times over. Shizuka approached the beast named Son Gokū. She looked the massive beast over in awe. Its red fur gave it a look of power and intensity, as if the beast had been soaking in blood for some time. Its burned tusks showed how intensely hot its breath could burn. The beast's image began to merge with the very idea of power Shizuka held within her head. Shizuka looked up and locked her eyes with the giant ape. "Great beast of the Earth, I am Shizuka! I am the current Tsuchikage of Iwagakure. Times have peace have allowed your freedom, but tensions between the villages are high. We need a great power to defend our village from foreign threats and you are among the greatest powers to exist! Come with us back to Iwagakure, we will prove ourselves to be worthy of your partnership!" Shizuka shouted all of this with unwavering confidence to the ape known as Son Gokū, with enough loudness so that the towering beast could hear it. However, within she felt a twinge of fear. She had thought of this plan and prepared for it within her head and studies, but seeing the beast in person was surreal. Son was larger than she ever truly imagined and the beast was impressively built with large muscles even for the beast's size. The fact it could survive such a volcanic environment was impressive. The beast, the toxic gas, the ash, and everything else that was slowly chipping away at her health before gaining the crystal was nothing to the beast. It only strengthened her resolve though. No matter what, even if she had to sustain great injuries or even death, Son would return to the village to defend her people. Without a doubt the young lady's show of resolve did not go unnoticed by the beast. While the audacity of such a request may have earned the ire of some of his brethren, Son much preferred negotiating up front over tricks and underhanded tactics. In fact, among the hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of humans he had encountered during his life the woman before him demonstrated a rare level of tenacity mere moments after their meeting. "Tsuchikage...Shizuka," Son began in a deep tone, his voice resonating throughout the surroundings, "You stand in the domain of Son Gokū, King of the Sage Monkeys. I will have you address me as such." Opening his eyes he peered down upon the young lady with a look of suspicion and a hint of bewilderment. Her chakra, in terms of both volume and quality, was exceptionally notable. In concert with her force of personality it quite clear as to why a mere child in the eyes of Son would be selected to rule over one of the great shinobi villages. "Shizuka, you have come before me with a most irregular request. More importantly though, and before we continue, does the rest of your group wish to continue hiding among the rocks?" the great beast bellowed, a unmistakable tone of disdain permeating surroundings, "Are they too afraid to stand before the Handsome Monkey King, and more importantly, beside their own leader. If this is the caliber of subordinates that you keep by your side, then perhaps all of your talk earlier was simply for show, Tsuchikage." As the beast made his inquiry, the very earth seemed to tremble in response to his voice. "There is nothing like that happening." Shirotsuchi suggested, as he caught up with his Kage. Because of his weaker physicality, it took him a tad longer to reach the area. The scientist looked towards the great Tailed Beast, and his instinct was absolute fear. But beneath that fear was an unbridled curiosity to the workings of this beast. Just how was a being made of chakra able to gain sentience? This much power? He chose to stand next to his leader, but slightly behind her, before he spoke once more. "I thank you for this chance, Handsome Monkey King." Shirotsuchi bowed to the beast, "My name is Shirotsuchi." Tadakatsu, as brash as he was cautious, emerged from behind the giant rock which he used to survey the area. The earth beneath them was surely unstable. And this thick miasma would have killed them had it not been for Toushi's ingenious creation. He was still fawning over such a magnificent crystal. But beyond that, he felt the magnitude of the situation at hand. However, his fear had transformed into an insurmountable surge of excitement. The idea that he would take on such a beast and potentially reach a new level of existence... But he wasn't so...refined. After all, someone who liked to be called the Handsome Monkey King, Sage Unequal Beneath Heaven only respected one thing and one thing alone. Strength. And so he stood with his head high and eyes matched to Son's. Hell, he knew that his team's kind words wouldn't work for too long. Tadakatsu formulated his own plan. Shizuka saw how Tadakatsu was acting. Restless. She could see it in his gaze. She pointed a hand towards her ally, giving him a simple motion to wait. "Son Gokū, so I was correct. I had read as much as I could about you and the other tailed beasts, as Naruto seemed to say something of you all possessing names at points." Shizuka smiled in learning the name of the beast. "Son Gokū, we know you would never willingly just join us for asking. I am willing to prove our worth to you. Great Sage of the Monkeys, he who Equals Heaven, I challenge you to a show of might. Let us see whose will is stronger, the Will of Stone or the will of the Sage Ape!" Shizuka grabbed on to the hilt of her blade. "If we can win against you, oh Wise Ape, you will come with us. If we lose... I can't imagine it being a pretty image for us." To a perceptive observer it could almost appear as if the massive beast donned a grin for a split second in response to the pure display of confidence from the young woman before him. "Don't go determining your prize unless you can bring me to my knees," howled Son Gokū, slamming his fists into the ground to his sides. The herculean force of the strike emitted a massive shockwave into the surrounding area. If such an attack were to be used in a developed area the impact alone would have easily reduced any human constructs within a hundred meters to mere rubble. Futhermore, tremors began to rumble from deep within the earth. In turn, the nearby pool of water became clouded with a smoky haze as it began to boil, and volcanic ash began to violently plume from the earthen vents surrounding the combatants. As the dense cloud of debris rose into the sky above it began to slowly rain back down on the surroundings, sizzling and burning anything it touched upon contact. "Come, Tsuchikage Shizuka! Show me your resolve or perish here on this mountain," Son Gokū commanded, ready to face the humans before him. As the ape slammed the ground, Shizuka jumped into the air. Lightening her weight, she began to take flight again. Shizuka moved her hands away from her blade and began put her hands together to help her concentrate her chakra. Quickly, she blew cold wind into the face of Son Gokū and said the techniques name as the ice solidified. The air froze solid on the ape king's face, forming a frozen mask. "Take advantage of this moment!" Shizuka shouted to her companions as she flew up from the ape to avoid being swatted. Tadakatsu was unhindered by the massive earthen tremors, for he leapt high into the air at the moment of impact. His body, as light as a feather, darted towards the tailed beast. Unfortunately Tadakatsu, a shinobi restricted to short to mid range combat, would need his comrades to create openings. But, as a master of hand to hand combat, the ability to recognize opportunity was instilled into Tadakatsu's spirit. Tadakatsu knew what she planned once he heard her shout Fusion. They thought on the same wavelength almost. "Mountain breaker!" Stopping before Son Goku's massive frozen visage, his body twisted to a straight right punch. Usually he required the proper resistance to deliver power. His fighting style was one which necessitated a connection with the earth. Making his aerial battles rather tricky. However, the untalented genius overcame this weakness with his own mastery of two distinct but similar jutsu. At the end of the punch, when his fist connected to the surface, his body drastically increased in weight. A split second amplification which increased the momentum and force of his punch tremendously. Even something as mighty as the Tailed Beast could see why he was called Tadakatsu of the Hand's of Stone. Unlike his comrades, Shirotsuchi did not possess the requisite skill to avoid the strike by leaping into the air. On top of that, he was frightened to bits. While he would not allow his fear to control him, it did impair his judgment for a split second. But this was fine. If he could not attack the beast directly, he would support his comrades. That was his role in this situation. Stringing together multiple hand seals in nary an instant, Shirotsuchi yelled, "Earth Release: Rosary Technique!" Stomping his foot on the ground, as if he were foolishly imitating the Monkey King's actions, Shirotsuchi's chakra vibrated the earth below, uprooting several rock formations which split into an infinitely smaller number of spheres. Shirotsuchi pointed to the debris-littered sky, and in response, the beads of earth he had created from the ground all began to collide with the debris falling from the sky, preventing his comrades from suffering aerial burns. However, as his focus was maintained on the air, the ground was left unmanned, leaving him shaking as he attempted to concentrate on the earthen beads he conjured. As seemingly impromptu as it was the coordinated maneuvers executed by the group of shinobi was far from unimpressive. Even though the frozen visage gifted to Son Gokū by the Tsuchikage lasted only for short moment, due to the unnatural heat being generated by the beast's body, the brief distraction that she had provided had given her subordinate the time necessary to lash out with a mighty blow. Uninterrupted, the boxer's attack landed true, staggering the Son in the process. Unfortunately, while the strike was quite powerful by any standard, it was still undoubtedly the attack of a human. Before the great beast had even fully finished falling back from Tadakatsu's assault, it had already launched an attack of its own in response. Lashing out with it's herculean fist, it sought to eliminate Tadakatsu with a single precisely aimed blow. Furthermore, even indirectly the tailed beast's fist was emitting enough heat to flash boil water. Turning his attention onto Shirotsuchi, who appeared to have taken the role of supporting the rest of his teammates, Son took a deep breath and fired a stream of . The flames collided with and swept across the surface of the battlefield, expanding like a wave towards the fair haired shinobi. Seeing the magnificent flames spread out towards Shirotsuchi, Shizuka acted quickly. Forming several one-handed seals, she produced a cube with her Dust Release chakra. Nothing was within it, it was not one of the brutally powerful explosive techniques the nature was known for. Instead, she had it rapidly stretch to block the path of the fire. The green blaze hit the wall and splashed out in a brilliant display as the box began to pull the flames in to snuff them out. Shizuka flew down to the ground to check on Shirotsuchi. "Are you okay? I know fighting isn't your strong suit, but I need to be sure you are careful." Shizuka said in concern before turning her attention back to the ape. She formed a seal of confrontation. The stones around her began to pull in towards her as a massive entity to form. The golem continued to draw in stone as it grew to a size similar as Son. Shizuka then controlled the golem to punch the ape in the face in surprising speed. "Woaaaaaaaah!" Tadakatsu screamed as his body was sent soaring across the battlefield. It landed upon the earth with a massive impact, exerting a force almost impossible for any normal human to survive. But his method of tanking such a unholy amount of power and heat was revealed once the dust cleared. Tadakatsu's skin had darkened almost seconds before Son Goku's strike. This black form amplified his durability exponentially, allowing him to survive the force of the beast's strike with minimal scratches. And the diamond like nature of the technique resisted the heat. His skin returned to normal as he stood up once more. "Of course. Check up on chicken legs...You'd think she'd even care that I was smacked almost to the land of Iron." Tadakatsu groaned before flying back to the battle. Several minutes later, he landed next to the other two. His arms crossed in a grumpy manner. "Thanks for checking on me!" "...Thank you. But focus." Shirotsuchi commented quite seriously, as he noted the beast was building up power once more. "Katsu. Follow my lead." Shirotsuchi asked, before once again weaving a multitude of hand seals with such speed that even the trained eye could barely make them out. Stomping the ground once again, Shirotsuchi yelled, "Earth Release: Tearing Earth Turning Palm!" As he did so, the sound of cracking became more and more apparent, with the ground tearing apart into numerous smaller sections that destabilized the environment the mighty Son Gokū stood upon. While the technique was only a momentary distraction, the true depth of Shirotsuchi's prowess would become apparent in his next maneuver. "Water Release: Dragon Palace Technique!" Shirotsuchi exclaimed once more. This time, the sound of rushing water caused the cave to once again shake, before several serpentine dragons were formed from the underground water reserves in the volcano, all attempting to coil around the Monkey King in an attempt to restrain his movements. "Don't hold back...!" Shirotsuchi said, clenching his palms together, visibly struggling to maintain the technique against the Tailed Beast's incredible power. "Attack him!" Shizuka smiled as she saw the water. "You'll be fine!" the Tsuchikage shouted to Tadakatsu. Shizuka had the golem reach down towards the water and absorb some of the excess into its arms. She began to use fire chakra to superheat the now contained water. Shizuka pointed the golem's arms to Son and fired the water and steam at Son. "Fusion: Geyser Golem Steam Burst Technique" Intercepting the Tsuchikage's incoming assault by catching the earth golem's punch within its palm, Son began to clench down on the golem's fist, which began to glow red hot from the heat of the tailed beast. With its free it swung to behead the stone creation, but was delayed by the ground beneath its feet being torn asunder by the man who narrowly avoided incineration moments earlier. Before the massive ape could reestablish his footing, the individual named Shirotsuchi had conjured up a myriad of liquid serpents to bind his limbs. Despite Son's massive strength, the maneuver caused the beast to lose his grip on Shizuka's earthen construct. Once again, the Tsuchikage's team followed up immediately after an opening was made on the beast. Shizuka's golem surged with super-heated water, which it launched with incredible force. Unable to avoid the attack under its current state, or even brace itself, Son took the full force of the strike. Knocked back by the surge of water, Son momentum was only stopped when upon colliding with a rock wall. While clearly stunned by the barrage of techniques, Son rising temper allowed the beast to innately respond without delay. Puffing up its chest the great ape expelled a volley of towards the trio of shinobi, each dwarfing the size of a human several times over. Continuing its attack, Son's body was enveloped in an intense . "I know you shinobi love announcing your attacks, but you may have the most ridiculous titles for your maneuvers that I've heard for over a century," the great beast commented in a booming voice, "I honestly can't believe you have the time to come up with them while attempting to run a village." Slowly, but surely, a molten area around the feet of the beast formed and continued to expand outward, set to envelope the entire rocky valley within a minute or two. Tadakatsu watched in awe as his teammates manipulated the earth around them to stand against the mighty Son Goku. Ever since his childhood, Tadakatsu was only gifted in the manipulation of earth's weight. He could never hope to induce his imagination unto the physical realm in such grandiose ways. Even staring at Shiro, Tadakatsu bit down with a slight lowered brow. No..now's not the time to be jealous. He reminded himself. The giant monkey began to use his lava prowess more freely. And perhaps Tadakatsu was the only person capable of truly withstanding the immense heat. His skin darkened once more as he started to float. His ability to manipulate his weight allowed him to combine it with his other techniques in order to enhance their prowess. And such he launched himself at the molten boulders with a ferocious yell. He flickered between each boulder in a manner only akin to teleportation. The combination of a lightened body and an explosive boost in speed allowed him to dance throughout the air. His hands were encased in solid stone as he punched through the flaming meteors. "Eesh. Eesh.Eesh. Eesh. Eesh. Eesh. Eesh." Explosive breathes with each punch. At the last second of his whip-like strikes, he increased the weight in order to unleash a devastating impact before lightening his fist once more. Tadakatsu continued onwards, ignoring the intense heat of the beast thanks to his organic armor. Finally, the Iwagakure fighter neared the beast's face. "Say's the person with such a long title!" He roared. Tadakatsu flickered upwards once more before launching a downward right punch towards Son Goku's crown. Enhancing the force of his punch tremendously so that the force of gravity would combine with his naturally high amount of punching power. "I'm Tadakatsu of the Hands of Stone!" The earth beneath the magnificent beast buckled under the awesome pressure of Tadakatsu's attack, causing the expanding pool of lava to burst outwards as a wave. It was surely a blow worthy of praise by the monkey king, who was forced to kneel from the assault. "While this is far from my first defeat, how long has it been since a group of mortals have put up such a fight against me?" Son thought to himself before addressing the group. "EXCELLENT!" the volcanic deity howled in response, "To mount such an offensive is impressive. Anything less and you would not be worth speaking with." "Your group has far exceeded me expectations," Son continued, showing a surprisingly talkative nature, "In that case, allow me to come at you in earnest by first leveling the playing field." Clapping his massive palms together, a pair of lava spouts erupted from behind the Tsuchikage's position. Rather than simply spewing out fiery contents at random the liquid began to take shape, forming a pair of monstrosities nearly identical in size and appearance to Son wrapped in his lava armor. To any sensor-types present the molten doppelgangers demonstrated an aberrant lack of a chakra in their composition, instead exuding an aura identical to the surrounding environment itself. The arguable clones of the beast began to charge in towards the trio at a remarkable speed, ready to pummel them with a barrage of super-heated stone. Shizuka looked as the ape triplets came towards them. She began to quickly weave a few seals as she turned to face the clones of the beast. Dust Release: Voice of the God Realm Technique!" shouted the Tsuchikage as she slashed both of her arms in various directions towards each clone. Crescents of chakra flew from her with each successive slash until a barrage of ten crescents flew towards each of the clones. The dust chakra in those blades can cut through nearly anything in moments... thought Shizuka as she directed her attention towards the original Son. The Tsuchikage's attacks carved through Son's clones without resistance, shredding them to pieces almost instantly. Rather than simply collapsing peacefully though, the remains of the doppelgangers disintegrated into a rapidly expanding cloud of volcanic ash and dust laced with razor sharp fragments of super heated obsidian. Seemingly acting upon the will of the beast itself the pyroclastic flow encircled the outer edge of the battlefield, forming a veritable natural barrier. As the molten debris spiraled around the combatants, the Four Tails included, it began to manifest a form not unlike a certain . Notably, rather than draining the chakra of the individuals within, the molten boundary drew upon the natural energy of the volcanic terrain, thus granting it an near infinite amount of power for the purposes of reforming from any damage near instantly. With his opponent's retreat highly unlikely, the Four Tails resolved itself to unleash the true power of its kind onto the shinobi before him. Manifesting a magnificent , Son prepared the ultimate test for his enemies as he launched the technique into the center of the battlefield. While the molten barrier would prevent the entire mountain from being erased from the map, another testament to it's durability, it would greatly magnify the destructive force of the attack against anything within its confines alongside the beast. While Son was confident that his own constitution was enough to survive, he did not hold the same feelings for his mortal opponents. Most importantly though, if the party before him failed to survive the destructive force of such a maneuver, then they were fools to challenge the Monkey King in his own territory. As the blinding light and unearthly explosive force filled the natural tomb, Son patiently waited for climatic conclusion to the battle. "..!" Shirotsuchi barely even had the time to admire the attack before him, as his body instinctively began to weave hand seals in order to erect the appropriate defense. His own techniques weren't going to be enough. He knew it. The sheer amount of energy within that blast sought to utterly incinerate the trio, but Shirotsuchi would be damned before he could let that happen. "Katsu! Follow my lead and use Earth Spear as I say so! Lady Shizuka, enhance my barrier with your Dust Release!" The Kage's aide spoke, sweat dripping across his entire body and fear lodged in his eyes. "Earth Release: Black Turtle's Seven Mansions!" Shirotsuchi proclaimed in what felt like the last moments of his life. The depths of the earth beneath them began to rise upwards, narrowly intercepting the path of the grandiose blast of chakra. Layers of earth began to surround the trio, with miniscule star-shaped openings at the top of every layer, forming seven layers of densely packed earth that sought to repel the orb of power. The first layer made contact, but it quickly began to incinerate from the strength. Shirotsuchi clasped his hands together, struggling to maintain the barrier, as he spoke again. "Katsu! Earth Spear, now! Lady Shizuka, form Dust Release barriers in-between the layers! A dense vacuum barrier may be the only way to survive this beast's power! GO!" Shirotsuchi exclaimed at the top of his lungs, as the first layer of his barrier was nearly completely destroyed. Category:Tenmou